All Questions
Tagged with gt.geometric-topology 4-manifolds
179 questions
6
votes
1
answer
543
views
smooth homotopy 4-balls with sphere boundary in dimension 4
What follows is, as far as I can tell, totally standard folklore. I have one particular point of confusion, other than that, I wanted to confirm that I am uttering the incantations correctly.
The ...
- 5,349
6
votes
1
answer
375
views
Framings for 2-surgeries on 4-manifolds
I'm interested in doing $2$-surgeries to $\sharp^k S^1 \times S^3$. That is to the manifold obtained from applying $1$-surgeries to $S^4$.
Since $\pi_1(O(3)) = \mathbb{Z}_2$, there are two possible ...
- 313
4
votes
1
answer
191
views
Simple invariants to detect concordance in general 3-manifolds
Let $Y$ be a closed, connected, orientable 3-manifold. We call to oriented knots $K_1, K_2$ in $Y$ (smoothly) concordant if there is a smoothly, properly embedded annulus in $Y \times I$ such that ...
- 5,349
46
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Exotic $R^4$ as the universal covering space
Is there a smooth compact 4-manifold whose universal covering is an exotic $R^4$, i.e. is homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic to $R^4$?
Remark. I am aware of examples (due to Mike Davis) of compact $...
- 12.3k
10
votes
1
answer
771
views
Which 3-manifolds are known to admit exotic pairs of bounding 4-manifolds?
Let $M$ be a compact connected three manifold. By an exotic pair of bounding 4-manifolds, I mean two smooth 4-manifolds $X_1,X_2$ such that $X_1$ and $X_2$ are homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic, and ...
- 5,349
7
votes
1
answer
187
views
Minimum number of double points over all immersed disks
Let $K$ be a knot in the boundary of a compact smooth 4-manifold $X$, and suppose that $K$ is the the kernel of $\pi_1(\partial X) \to \pi_1(X)$. Then $K$ is the boundary of some immersed disk $D \to ...
- 5,349
25
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What can we say about the Cartesian product of a manifold with its exotic copy?
Let $M$ be a smooth oriented manifold, and let $M^E$ be an exotic copy, i.e homeomorphic but not diffeomorphic to $M$.
Is it true that $M\times M$ is diffeomorphic to $M\times M^E$?
I am ...
- 3,751
19
votes
2
answers
706
views
Behavior of genus function on a 4-manifold for sums
Let $X$ be a smooth compact 4-manifold. Then every element of $H_2(X;\mathbb{Z})$ can be represented by a smooth embedded orientable surface and we have the so called genus function $G: H_2(X; \...
- 5,349
4
votes
1
answer
400
views
Canonical Metrics on 3- and 4-Manifolds
From the Uniformization Theorem, it is known that every conformal class of metrics on a genus-$g$ Riemann surface with $n$ boundaries/punctures, subject to the condition $2g+n\ge 3$, contains a unique ...
- 989
7
votes
1
answer
731
views
What is "topology in dimension 3.5"?
I've noticed a couple of conference titles which reference something called
"topology in dimension 3.5," such as this one and this one. This subject seems quite mysterious to me — it looks like ...
- 6,881
7
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Topological Classification of Four-Manifolds
It is known that the topological classification of a closed Riemann surface is determined by its genus. Similar statements are proven for other compact Riemann surfaces with boundaries/marked points. ...
- 989
37
votes
3
answers
1k
views
How to specify a compact topological 4-manifold with a finite amount of data
Finite data for 4-manifolds: I have a somewhat hazy memory of seeing a Ph.D. thesis around 2005 which showed that any compact topological 4-manifold $M$ can be specified by a finite amount of data. ...
- 735
4
votes
2
answers
715
views
Are there Kirby diagrams with 3-handles?
Let $M\colon \partial_- M \to \partial_+ M$ be an oriented, compact cobordism. Assume that there is a handle decomposition with at most one 0-handle, and denote the handle bodies by $M_i, i \in \{0,\...
- 5,565
24
votes
0
answers
1k
views
Exotic 4-spheres and the Tate-Shafarevich Group
The title is a talk given by Sir M. Atiyah in a conference with the following abstract:
I will explain a deep analogy between 4-dimensional smooth geometry (Donaldson theory)...
- 1,629
7
votes
0
answers
504
views
Intersection form of logarithmic transformations
Now I want to calculate the intersection form of a logarithmic transformation which is defined as follows.
Let $X$ be an oriented, closed, simply-connected 4-manifold and $T^2\subset X$
be an ...
21
votes
0
answers
344
views
Are there exotic $\mathbb{R}^4$'s that are products with $\mathbb{R}$? [duplicate]
This came up in a conversation:
Question: Is there an exotic $\mathbb{R}^4$ that smoothly splits off an $\mathbb{R}$ factor? More precisely, suppose that $\mathcal R$ is a smooth 4-manifold which ...
- 724
8
votes
1
answer
686
views
Surgery along an embedded surface in a 4-manifold
Let $X$ be a 4-manifold and $\Sigma_g\subset X$ be an embedded closed orientable genus = $g$ surface. Suppose $\Sigma_g\subset X$ has a trivial closed normal bundle $N(\Sigma_g) = \Sigma_g\times D^2$. ...
41
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Not all manifolds can be triangulated: In which dimensions?
I know that Ciprian Manolescu has settled the triangulation conjecture in the negative: Not all manifolds can be triangulated. I've only read secondary literature on this result, which did not detail ...
- 151k
5
votes
1
answer
232
views
$\pi_1$ of 4-manifolds that "look like" disk bundles
Let $X$ be a smooth compact oriented 4-manifold with $\partial X=L(p,1)$, $H_2(X;\Bbb Z)=\Bbb Z$, $H_3(X; \Bbb Z)=0$ and the induced map $\pi_1(L(p,1)) \to X$ surjective. What are the possibilities ...
- 773
3
votes
0
answers
104
views
A link of four 2-tori $T^2$ in $S^2 \times S^2$
Step 1: We glue two sets of complement space of $D^2\times T^2$ out of the 4-sphere $S^4$, through their $T^3$ boundary with their three $S^1$ boundaries of $T^3$ cyclic permuted to obtain a new 4-...
- 10.5k
3
votes
1
answer
331
views
Simply connected 4-manifolds with boundary
I think I've encountered a question about 4-manifolds which maybe easy but I'm not familiar with. Can anyone give me an example of a simply connected 4-manifold $M$ (with boundary, of course) with $...
- 123
6
votes
0
answers
188
views
Quotients of 4-sphere by smooth $Z_p$ actions with knotted fixed point sets
This question is closely related to another I asked today.
Giffen showed in 1966 that the generalized Smith conjecture is false by constructing for odd $p$ a smooth $Z_p$ action on $S^4$ with fixed-...
- 2,851
6
votes
1
answer
531
views
Distinguishing homology $S^1 \times S^2$'s which bound homotopy $S^1$'s
Due to Mazur, Akbulut and Kirby and many others, there are many examples of integer homology 3-spheres which bound contractible 4-manifolds given by attaching a single 2-handle to $S^1 \times D^3$ ...
- 773
6
votes
1
answer
477
views
A proof of Theorem 9.2.12. in the Gompf-Stipsicz
I'm seeking for a proof of Theorem 9.2.12. in the Gompf-Stipsicz "4-Manifolds and Kirby Calculus" (for the statement, see the following image). But the textbook omits any proofs and only gives a ...
1
vote
2
answers
524
views
obtaining circle bundle over torus by trefoil surgery
Does any integer surgery on a right or left trefoil knot give the $S^1$-bundle over $T^2$ with Euler number $1$?
- 1,335
14
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Construction of invariants of 4-manifolds with the Kirby calculus
I'm an undergraduate student, interested in the low dimensional topology, in particular, the 4-manifold theory.
I have a question.
In the knot theory, the Reidemeister moves play fundamental roles.
...
4
votes
1
answer
424
views
contact surgery diagram on Brieskorn manifolds
For the Brieskorn manifold $\Sigma(p,q,r)=\{z_1^p+z_2^q+z_3^r=0\} \cap S^5 \subset C^3$, replacing zero with $\epsilon$ in the above, realizes $\Sigma$ as boundary of a Stein domain which induces a ...
- 1,335
7
votes
1
answer
479
views
Homology 3-sphere with a unique Stein-fillable contact structure
Are there any known examples of oriented integer homology 3-spheres $Y$ (besides $S^3$) which have exactly one Stein-fillable contact structure up to isotopy? Failing that, what are the known examples ...
- 773
9
votes
1
answer
334
views
Essential Klein bottle in simply connected symplectic 4 manifolds
Consider the following question:
Let $X$ be a simply connected, symplectic 4-manifold. Does there exists a smoothly embedded Klein bottle $K\subset X$ such that the following conditions are both ...
- 1,069
25
votes
0
answers
1k
views
Concordance and homology cobordism
If two knots $K_1$ and $K_2$ in $S^3$ are smoothly concordant, then for any rational number $r$, the $r$-surgeries $S^3_r(K_1)$ and $S^3_r(K_2)$ are homology cobordant. Is the converse true? What if $...
- 779
17
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Is Rasmussen's s-invariant of a knot an invariant of a 4-manifold?
Let $K$ be a knot in the 3-sphere $S^3$.
Here we denote by $s(K)$ Rasmussen's s-invariant for $K$,
and by $X_{K}(n)$ the 4-manifold obtained from the standard 4-ball $B^4$
by attaching a $2$-...
- 391
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Brieskorn homology spheres
We know that a Brieskorn homology 3-spheres $\Sigma(p,q,r)$ admit a free $S^1$-action, which makes it a Seifert fibered spaces with three singular fibers: $M(b;r_1,r_2,r_3)$. How should one get from $\...
- 1,335
6
votes
1
answer
339
views
Embedded spheres in the K3 surface
Using the Seiberg-Witten theory, we know that every (smoothly) embedded $S^{2}$ in $K3$ with trivial normal bundle is null-homologous. We know we have a lot of interesting knotted $S^{2}$ inside $S^{4}...
- 1,069
10
votes
2
answers
544
views
Obtain 4-manifolds by repeating surgeries of submanifolds in $S^4$
In his paper QFT and Jones Polynomials, Witten states: "It is a not too deep result that every 3-manifold can be obtained from or reduced to $S^3$ (or any other desired 3-manifold) by repeated ...
- 755
5
votes
1
answer
319
views
Are "Unions" of small exotic $\mathbb{R}^4$'s small?
Suppose $M$ is a smooth 4-manifold, and $U,V \subset M$ are exotic $\mathbb{R}^4$'s, i.e. homeomorphic to standard $\mathbb{R} ^4$.
Further more suppose $U$ an $V$ intersect nicely sucht that $U \cup ...
17
votes
1
answer
981
views
Smooth 4-manifolds with $E_8$ intersection form
Does there exist a closed orientable smooth 4-manifold $M$ whose intersection form is the $E_8$-form? Here by the intersection form I mean the $\mathbb{Z}$-valued bilinear form on $H^2(M;\mathbb{Z})/\...
- 193
15
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Thurston geometries in dimension 4
In the sense of W. Thurston here, there is 3 geometries in dimension 2 and there is 8 geometries in dimension 3.
Question: How many different geometries (in the sense of Thurston) do we have in ...
- 1,607
12
votes
0
answers
251
views
Excluding exotic PL structures on S^4
Suppose you have a finite group $G<SO(5)$ such that $S^4/G$ is homeomorphic to $S^4$ and such that $S^4/G$ is a PL manifold with respect to a PL structure induced by a standard structure on $S^4$. ...
- 508
3
votes
0
answers
181
views
Definition of the dual spider number and the formula for the first chern class of the triangle
In the process of trying to understand various maps in Heegaard Floer homology I got stuck on the definition of the dual spider number, which, it seems to me, has a combinatorial definition directly ...
- 1,000
5
votes
0
answers
610
views
Closed 4-manifolds with uncountably many differentiable structures
I know that $\mathbb{R}^4$ admits uncountably many differentiable structures. So, I wonder what happens if we consider closed 4-manifolds. Are there any closed 4-manifolds with uncountably many ...
- 683
4
votes
1
answer
264
views
0-homologous surface bounds
Given a map $f : S \to M^4$ from a compact closed not necessarily connected oriented surface to a compact oriented 4-manifold, such that $f_*([S])$ is zero in $H_2(M)$, is there a compact oriented 3-...
- 2,283
11
votes
0
answers
360
views
Fox re-imbedding theorem in dimension four
Fox re-imbedding theorem states the following:
A compact 3-manifold $M$ with boundary that embeds in the three-sphere $S^3$, can be re-imbedded in $S^3$ so that its complement is a union of ...
- 10.5k
6
votes
2
answers
360
views
Knotted projective planes and fake complex projective space
Paul Melvin gave a talk at Knots in Washington last year in which he asked whether the connected sum of an odd twist-spin of a classical knot and a standard cross-cap embedding of ${\mathbb R}P^2$ is ...
- 5,264
1
vote
0
answers
119
views
K3 surface minus finite set
Let $S$ be a complex K3 surface, and $P\subset S$ a finite set of points in $S$. It is known that
$$
H^i(S,\mathbb{Z})\cong H^i(S\setminus P,\mathbb{Z})
$$
for $0\le i \le 2$. Then the Euler ...
- 11
5
votes
1
answer
474
views
Casson invariant and signature
In W. Neumann, J. Wahl, "Casson invariant of links of singularities",
Comment. Math. Helv.,1990, Vol. 65, Issue 1, pp 58-78 some connection between the Casson invariant and the signature is ...
- 743
2
votes
1
answer
498
views
Gluck twist on four-manifolds
I have a basic question which I am not able to figure out. If we do a Gluck twist on a nullhomologous 2-sphere in a 4-manifold, it is said that it does not change its intersection form. But as far as ...
- 1,335
4
votes
1
answer
492
views
Boundaries of smooth manifolds
If one has a smooth simply connected manifold $M^n$ which we know to bound an $n+1$ dimensional manifold $N$, what can be said about a handle decomposition for one in terms of a handle decomposition ...
- 41
16
votes
3
answers
3k
views
open problems in Seiberg-Witten Theory on 4-Manifolds
What are some of the open problems in Seiberg-Witten Theory on 4-Manifolds.I tried googling but couldn't any. I tried googling it, but couldn't find any resources.The places where I can a survey or ...
6
votes
0
answers
217
views
What is the state of the art in 4-manfold 2-types?
In an old answer to an old question of mine, Peter Teichner commented that it is an open problem to determine which homotopy 2-types arise from 4-manifolds. In some instances we know that a 4-manifold ...
- 35.5k
8
votes
1
answer
734
views
Almost parallelizable 4-manifolds
On the first page of Milnor-Kervaire's paper "Bernoulli numbers, homotopy groups, and a theorem of Rohlin", they assert without proof or reference that if $M$ is a compact connected oriented ...
- 155